Multiscale rule



Filed NOV. '7, 1952 L. KUCERA MULTISCALE RULE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 60" inlllmlllllllmuuIIHIIHIIIHH l||||| IIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHI'Il zu 'HIHIHIIIIIIIHH'IIHHlllllllfllllrllllll IIIIIIIIHIIIII|IIHIHHIIIIIIlHlllllllllllllllIIHIVIHIII HHIH lolllll'lllIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'IIII INVENTOR.

LAD KUGER ATTRNEY Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED .STAT-es PATENT o Prior.

MULTISGALE RULE YLalla."Ku'cera, Berkeley,` Calif. "ApplicatidnilNovem'berf, 1952;` Serial N o; 3195285 10 QCIamS.

M'y: inventionfrelatesf to 3 improvements in multiscale rules.

The:.relativelyzeawkward :triangular rules vheretoforelvimuse `were thickvan'd :unwieldy-fand` could accommodate onlyfsixf scales on'each rule.` Every` relatively'ssimplework "required: two -such :rulesonerrwith;E sixiarchitects?scales'iandxthe other with six engineersffscales.' Turthermorefnot onlywere they :awkward Ito ruse, 'they'vwere a very a inconvenientztocarryaroun'd.

These: and'other diiiicu-lties-'and problems have.`

beensolvedwbymm invention. yInafsingle compact l instrumenta:mimbertofi instantly available, nat, thin teenths of :an inchxthickvcan accommodate-six in-v dependentiscale members,` bothsides` of which areeavailable for.'use,eso'thatza completeset of botlrarchtects Iand engineersascales. may be` provided; :The device mayibefmade inany size,y with more or fewer scales; it may be made' in a pocket size,frlittle `thicker than safslide: rule and `of almost anyadesired:lengthaand width. Alli these scales arensma'intained `in a afpredetermined: order; and oneuatfa time :may: be projected' forward. for use. Since` the: order remains. the same, no= time need be .lost in rumbling to find any: particular scale. Moreover, the deviceris relatively simplem-.con-

struction, ..so that :it z-may be. :manufactured `iriexpensively :from sa "relatively smalltnumber r of simple parts.

In `general :my :invention includes a .hollow housingf tha-tfcontainsa number ofy thin flat mem bersrha-ving` scales marked on/ both sides .of- `one edge,` iwhich, will `be 1 termed `the .i forward edge. i Thetforward edge ofrthe: housing is open. for the select. oneA .scale atta time. I byy engaging the dips in the; slots. That-scale 4whose. .dips are. engaged by; the. posts is projected .foi'wardly,- outthe housing'` opening into its .position ofv use. In this mannergtthelmovement of the.controlfmember.suc- .I

providedadjacent the rear-edge I scales,"mitsproperorder.

.2 Other features, objects, inventionwillappear fromithe.- following-:description `of f. two preferred embodiments thereof,l both.

in.` accordance with 'United 1 StatesRevised Statutes, Section 4888.. .'I'he.in. vention,.however,.is.not.intended to beflimited narrowly to .the enumerateddetails, but. is rather described cv at length deiinedin.. the appended claims.

In. the drawings:

Fig. l1 is .a plan `.view of a .multiscale .rule H principles of my; invention,... one` of the .scales being shownfprojectedsxouttto-its-gposiembodying the tion of use.

Fig. `2 is a plan-view showing-allA ofthescale membersl of .Fig..l and theicontrolmember, distive shapes Vof their` positioning slots.

Fig3 is an enlarged view. in section; taken along I .the line :3-3. in.Fig. .1. Due to= the.' enlargement and` to` space requirements of .the drawing, fthe scale that is projected: out has :been broken apart..

Fig. .4 is an. isometric view ofthe control memberbyitself, lookingat itsforward portionfand. posts thatride inthe posishowingthe selection tioning` slots `of the -scale members.

Fig..5 is aview similarto Fig. 3.offa.. modified formof .the invention.

Themultiscalerule Ill-shownin Eigs..-.1andf3 that holds The. housing. l` I preferincludes a hollow housing or frame Il al1 the remaining parts.

ably comprises two parallel platesfIZand-IHS` se cured to and spaced apart by. a pair` of spacer members Ill` and I 5.. one at each, end,. so: that. the front and rear edgeslli and. I 'I .are bothopen.

Adjacent the. rearV edge II` and` parallelto it,..the plates I2 .and.|3 may be, providediwith respective inturned "anges ortongues I 8 'and I9`that.face one another. guidesfora control member'ZU whose groove'sZI andi22-"engage"theanges I8 and`l9so thatthe control @member 42ll"may beslid backiandlforth along-the rear edge ll bypushing a tab `23rthat projects out from` the rear ofthe control member I 20; "In place `of .theanges I=tlfa.nclf.|-9,.` the plates* I I 2 and I 3 may libe slotted Aand Vthe flanges vor tongues'maybe on the control vmember22ll :or vstill other types of :guide means-may -be sprovidedrfor..

enabling the `control member` to -slidefreely with respect. to .thef housing I I--while being maintained parallelto the` rear edge I1.

The control memberzll and advantages ofzthe The flanges I8 and I9 serveas is .provided `.with .a pair of forwardly-extending members .24 .and.2 5,.,which t may. `be dat A.rectangular plates that...arespaced aperti from-.each other and provide s. support for a pair of selection posts 26 and 21 that extend generally perpendicular to the plates I2, I3, 24, and 25, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 4. The posts 26 and 21 are preferably spaced apart a distance a little less than half the interior length between the spacer members I4 and I5 and are spaced at a convenient location between the front and rear edges I6 and |1, generally about half way between.

Between the members 24 and 25, I prefer to retain a plurality of individual, preferably rectangular, scale members 38, 48, 50, 60, 10, and 80 (although six scale members are shown in the drawing and are therefore referred to in the description, there may, of course, be more or fewer of them). The forward edges of each scale member 30, 48, 58, 68, 18, and 8|) is scaled off, usually on both sides; an architects scale may be on one side of each member and an engineers scale on the other side, or other types of scales may be provided.

Each scale 30, 40, 53, 68, 10, 80 is provided with a plurality (here two are shown) of slots 3|, 32, 4|, 42, 5|, 52, 6|, 62, 1|, 12, and 8|, 32. The slots on any one scale are preferably collinear and for most oi their length are parallel to the forward edge l5, because this is the easiest way to insure proper parallel movement of the scales. Also, the slots for all the scales are in general alignment, sothat the post 25 passes through and engages all the slots 3|, 4|, 5I, 6|, 1|, and 8|, while the post 21 passes through and engages all the slots 32, 42, 52, 82, 12, and 82.

The only portion of each slot 3|, 32, 4I, 42, 5|, 52, 6|, 62, 1|, 12 8|, 82 that is not parallel to the front edge I6 is a dip portion 33, 34, 43, 44, 53, 54, 63, 64, 13, 14, and 83, 84. Each dip has a respective bottom point 35, 36, 45, 46, 55, 56, 65, 66, 15, 16, 85, 86, where the slot is furthest from its normal path, the part that lies parallel to the edges I6 and |1. As Figs. 1 and 2 show the dips 33, 34, 43, 44, 53, 54, 63, 64, 13, 14, 83, 84 occur at a dii-ferent position along the length for each scale and that in no two scales do they occur at the same position. However, the distance between the dips (e. g., 33 and 34) and the distance between the dip bottoms or minima (e. g., 35 and 36) is a constant for all the scales being equal to the distance between the posts 26, 21.

In operation, the rule I8 may be carried with none of the scale members 30, 48, 56, 6|), 10, 88 projecting beyond the housing II. When any desired scale is to be used, the tab 23 is pushed to slide the control member 28 along. The posts 26, f

21 then move along the slots 3|, 32, 4|, 42, 5|, 52, 6|, 62, 1I, 12, 6|, 82. So long as the dip portion 33, 34, 43, 44, 53, 54, 63, 64, 13, 14, 83, 84

of any scale is not engaged by the posts 26, 21, that scale remains in its retracted position. When, however, the posts 2'6, 21 engage the dip portions 33, 34 of the slots 3|, 32, the scale 30 is projected out beyond the front edge I6 of the housing I I, reaching its position of use when the posts 26, 21 engage the minima 35, 36. Further movementof the posts 26, 21 in thesame direction (left to right in Figs. 1 and 2) retracts the scale 38 and projects the scale 48. The scale 40 is then retracted and the scale 50 projected. Still further movement of the control member 28 projects and then retracts the scales 60, 13and 80, the position of projection of the scale 80 being shown in Fig. 1. When in its position oi' use, both sides of the scale are available, and

the operator may use whichever one his work calls for.

All the parts of the rule ||l may be made from plastic, wood, or metal, or some of them may be made from one materal and others from a diiferent material. The compact assembly of thin scales that comprises the rule l5 may easily be carried in a mans pocket, providing twelve scales available instantly.

A modied form of the invention is shown in Fig. 5. Basically, the rule |88 is similar to the rule lil, having a housing III, s, control meinber |28 slidable along the housing and a set of thin flat scale members |30, |48, |58, |68, |18, |88 that are retained inside the housing I by the control member |26. Again the projection and retraction of the scales are controlled by posts sliding along slotsl in the same basic Way as for the rule I0. For that reason, only the one view, a sectional view, is shown, because that illustrates the principal differences between the rule |36 and the rule |0.

The housing III is Wedge-shaped, comprising two wedge-shaped members ||2 and ||3 open at their forward edges ||6 and having an open slot I I1 at their rear edge. Rear anges ||8 and ||8 are provided, together'with slots ||4 and i i5, to guide the slots I2| and |22 of the control mem ber |28 and its projecting tongues |23, |24. The button or tab |25 causes the control member |28 to slide relatively to the housing I I. The members |26, |21 of the control member |28 extend toward the forward edge |6 and converge somewhat toward each other; though they do not touch. One post |28 is shown and one set of slots |3I, |4I, |5I, IBI, |1I, and I8|. The slot pat tern may be the same as before. For longer rules, there may be three, four, five or more collinear slots on each scale and a corresponding number of selection posts.

Between each adjacent pair of scales |38, |48, |58, |60, |18, |80, is placed a wedge-shaped ller member |35, |45, |55, |65, and |15, each having a set of slots |36, |46, |56, |66, and |16 that have no dip and all'extend parallel to the front edge I6. The taper of the wedges is so designed that when each scale |30, |48, |50, |68, |16, |88 is serially projected forward through the open edge H6, it will reach a position of use with its own forward edge |82 at the same place.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

As shown in Fig. 1, an index scale 58 may ex.- tend along the rear edge |1 of the rule It, on both sides I2 and I3 of the rule housing ii. The position of the knob or tab 23 with respect to the different markings shows the current position of the control member 28 and which scale is now projected. It also shows which direction the control member 28 must be moved to reach another desired scale,'and how far to go. For

example, Fig. 1 shows that the scale 68 which 'indicates tenths of an inch is now in position, and if the scale that indicates fortieths of an inch is desired, the control member 20 must be moved to the left three notches or dips, until the tab 23 is opposite the marking 48. Then the scale 50, marked in fortieths of an inch, will be :pro-

jected.

l. A imultiscalerule;ineludingin' combination aA hollowhousingy having-- `a lengthwise opening v Y extending acrossf--itsforwardedgeya plurality of scale membersA each having-a5plurality off-slots, each-'slot having a` portion-parallel to -thesfor- WardA edge ofsaid housing and adip portion; l the dip-portioni-for -eachscale beingl `located fat u a different lengthwise position foreach 4scaleranch means or engaging said slotsand' thereby Lprojectingeachfscale memberV successively,4 by enl l gagement --with yits dipI portion 2.1 `A multiscale-rule; -vincludingdn combination a hollow housing having'V a' lengthwise Aopening extending across Lits i forward `edgea fcontrolf means slidablelengthwise in sa-idf housing and inc ludingmeans for retaining a plurality lof`V` posts spaced between said front and rear edges;

and a pluralityofi--scale members, each-havinga plurality-of-'slots-lthroughwhich said posts ex-` tend, each slot havinga portion parallel tothe forward yedge of said-housing and`- a Ldip f portion,

the dipportion Y-foreachscaleobeing ylocated-l at a different `lengthwise .positions for each fscale,

whereby successivel engagementU ofl saidfidipsby said -posts f whenv saidh control.Y means; is l slid lrel-` atively, vto said.' housing willi serially project` and retract. each fscalepone.; at-a time.

3. A multiscalerule, including ,inA combination:

a hollow housing .having la .lengthwise i opening extending across. its forward Aedge and anopening `extend-ingr,acrosssati least a portion` of its rear` edge; a` control means` slidableslengthwise i each haying a plurality of collinear' slots thniugli.

which said posts extend, each,4 'slot having-a portion parallel to the forward edgeof 4said housing,

anda dip portion, the dip portion. being, located at a different lengthwiseY position for each scale, whereby successive-engagement 'of said dips by said pests, when said controLmeans is slid rela-x tively tozlsaidnhousing will serially-projectiand retract each scale, one at a time.

4. A multiscale rule, including in combination: a hollow housing comprising a pair of spaced apart plates held together at their ends to provide lengthwise openings extending across their forward and rear edges, said plates having inturned anges adjacent to and parallel to the rear edge and -directly opposite one another; a control member having a pair of slots engaging said flanges so that said member is slidable lengthwise in said housing parallel to said rear edge, said member having a portion extending out through said rear opening and also having a pair of forwardly extending portions supporting a plurality of selection posts between them; and a plurality of thin ilat rectangular scale members in between said control members forwardlyextending portions, each having a plurality of collinear slots through which said posts extend, each slot having its major portion parallel to the forward edge of said housing and having a portion divergent therefrom to trace a dip, said dip portion being located at a diierent lengthwise position for each scale, whereby successive engagement of said dips by said posts when said control member is slid relatively to said housing will serially project and retract each scale, one at a time.

5. A multiscale rule, including in combination:

a `holleiw,riunirsi-nge,comprlsings,,alpair* ofwparallel .il spacedt` apart A:rectangular aplates?"held, rtogetl'ler aty their ends to provideA lengthwise: openingsvextending acrossetheirforward and frear ledgespsa-id plates i having inturnedifflange's4 'adjacent' :to nand parallel tolithe--f-rearwedge and "directly opposite one another; l a control member 'having a pair; of slots engaging H said iianges so that said member is,` slidablelengthwisefin said housing lparallel to saidvrear-i edge,- saidf member 1 having a tab portionLA extending out *through ffsaid frearf-opening and also having a pair-offorwardly-extending, spaced-a-part,4 1flat,;= parallel lportions f supporting a painofA selectionf'postslperpendcularly.between them y and a plurality off thinf 4ilat rectangular scale members' fin #between-said control members forwardly-extending portions, `each having a pair of-collinear-*slotsthroughl each of which oneof saidfposts extends, -`eachy slot'having its. `major portionparallel to theforward edge of said housingv andhaving aportion divergent therefrom* to tracel a fdip, said -dip portion' being located at `a different v-lengthiriise position for l-each scale," whereby' successive engagement of `said dips by said posts-when said control memberis slid relings extending across f theirforward and rear edges; said plateshaving'in-turned langesradjacent to and parallel to thefrear edge and directly opposite one another;M a `control 4member lhaving apair ofI slotsV engaging said iianges so that' said member is slidable lengthwise -inwsaid housing parallel tosaidvrear edge, said-member having a tabportion extending out through said rearopeningy and `alsohaving a converging spaced-apart pair of-iorirardlyl extendingportions supporting-a plurality'of selection postsacross them; a plurality or thin rlatrectangularscale members `in between said control" rnembersr` forwardly-extending portions, eac-hy having-a lplurality of collinear slotsf-throughwhichisaid posts extendyeach slot i hav-ing -its major i portion parallel* to' the `forward edge of said housing and having a portion divergent therefrom to trace a dip, said dip portion being located at a different lengthwise position for each scale, whereby successive engagement of said dips by said posts when said control member is slid relatively to said housing will serially project and retract each scale, one at a time; and a wedge-shaped ller member between each pair of adjacent scale members, said iiller" members having slots inline with said scale members slots but entirely parallel to said forward edge, so that said filler members remain stationary when said posts are moved, the angles of said ller members and said housing plates being such that the forward edge of each of sai-d scale inembers reaches the same position of furthest extent when projected out.

'7. A multiscale rule, including in combination: a hollow frame member open across both lengthwise edges and provided with guide means adjacent to and parallel to the rear lengthwise edge; a plurality of thin, at, generally rectangular scale members, each having a scaled forward4 edge and a plurality of closed collinear slots -parallel to the forward edge of said housing except for dip portions, the dip portionsfor the slots of each scale being located at the same distance apart and in a different lengthwise position from that of the other scales; and a selector control member mostly inside said frame and provided with a plurality of posts corresponding in number to the number of slots on each scale and extending through the corresponding slots of all the scales, said selector control member having guide means adapted to cooperate with said frame guide means for sliding movement with respect to said frame, whereby successive engagement of said dips by said posts when said selector control member is slid relatively to said housing will serially project and retract eac-h scale, one at a time.

8. A multiscale rule, including in combination: a hollow fra-me member open across both lengthwise edges and provided with guide means adjacent to and parallel to the rear lengthwise edge; a plurality of thin, flat, generally rectangular scale members forming a stack with the members parallel, each having a scaled forward edge and a pair of closed collinear slots parallel to the forward edge of said housing except for dip portions, the dip portions for the slots of each scale being located at the same distance apart and in a different lengthwise position from that of the other scales; and a selector control member mostly inside said frame and provided with a pair of posts perpendicular to said scale members, corresponding in number to the number of slots on each scale, and extending through the corresponding slots of all the scales, said selector control member having guide means adapted to cooperate with said frame guide means for sliding movement with respect to said frame, whereby successive engagement of said dips by said posts when said selector control member is slid relatively to said housing will serially project and retract each scale, one at a time.

9. A multiscale rule, including in combination: a hollow wedge-shaped frame member open across ,both lengthwise edges and provided with guide means adjacent to and parallel to the rear lengthwise edge; a plurality of thin, flat, generally rectangular scale members, each having a scaled forward edge and a plurality of closed collinear slots parallel to -the forward edge of said housing except for dip portions, the dip portions for the slots of each scale being located at the 8 same distance apart vand in a different lengthwise position from that of the other scales; a plurality of wedge-shaped ller members, one between each adjacent pair of scale members, and having slots corresponding to said scale members slots but having no dip portion; and a Iselector control member mostly inside said frame and provided with a plurality of posts corresponding in number to the number of slots on each scale and extending through -the corresponding slots of all the scales and ller members, said selector control member having guide means adapted to cooperate with lsaid frame guide means for sliding movement with respect to said frame, whereby successive engagement of said dips by said posts when said selector control member is slid relatively to said housing will serially project and retract each scale, one at atime, the surface angles of said filler members and housing being such that each lscale when projected fully will reach the same position with its forward edge.

l0. A multiscale rule including in combination: a hollow frame member open at its forward edge and having a slot extending through its rear edge; a plurality of scale members normally retained inside said frame and adapted to be projected one at a time through the open forward edge; and scale control means having a handle projecting out said rear slot for moving any one of said scale members out beyond said forward edge at any one time, said same scale control means also serving positively to retract each projected scale membei' at the time the next scale member is being moved out.

LADA KUCERA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,728,900 Madsen Sept. 17, 1929 2,322,248 Miller June 22, 1943 2,634,504 Jennings Apr. 14, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 126,509 Sweden Oct. 25, 1949 

